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The Merrier, HMAV and HMLTV

Malbatt IAG Guardians armed with 7.62 machine gun during a 2020 firing exercise in Lebanon. Joint Force picture

SHAH ALAM: IT appears that the Army main procurement programme this year will be the High Mobility Armoured Vehicle (HMAV) and the High Mobility Light Tactical Vehicle (HMLTV). Both are Kenderaan Jenis A or armoured vehicles. Army chief Gen Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan confirmed this in an interview with Harian Metro which was published on January 21.

Nimr Ajban Mk 2. Nimr

The part on the HMAV and HMLTV:

Berkaitan perkembangan terkini bagi penggantian Kereta Perisai APC Condor, TD masih menunggu kelulusan Kementerian Kewangan untuk menetapkan kaedah perolehan yang akan dilaksana membabitkan 136 buah kereta perisai baharu bagi memenuhi keperluan di dua unit rejimen Kor Armor Diraja (KAD) menggantikan kereta perisai APC Condor yang lama.

Dari aspek keupayaan, sebenarnya jumlah kereta perisai berkenaan masih belum memenuhi keperluan di mana kita sebenarnya memerlukan sebanyak 224 buah.

Bagaimanapun, kita bersyukur dengan apa yang kita dapat dan akan cuba melengkapkan kedua-dua unit berkenaan selepas menerima 136 unit kenderaan itu nanti.

Berdasarkan pengalaman perolehan sebelum ini, proses penerimaan sememangnya mengambil masa. Kita jangkakan perolehan ini akan mengambil masa dua hingga empat tahun. Bagi tahun 2024, kami akan membuat perolehan kereta perisai bagi kegunaan MALBAT di Lubnan dan akan menilai semula keperluan bagi tahun berikutnya.

If you have been reading Malaysian Defence for the last five years or so you will know that the HMAV has been in the works all those years. Infact former Defence Minister DS Hishammuddin Hussein had announced the procurement of 134 HMAV in the proposed 2023 budget. When a new budget was presented, the HMAV deal was not mentioned at all.

Nurol Makina NMS 4X4.

As no budget was allocated for the HMAV, the Army then, I was told wanted to merge the two programme into one with the HMLTV taking the lead (even though there was a proposal to standardise the KJA into one vehicle – Gempita). Apart from the 54 vehicles for the Unifil, another 200 will be procured for the armoured regiments which had operated them – 3 KAD and 4 KAD.
1 Division GOC and men from 4 KAD posed for a group photograph with 10 Gempita AFV30.

The HMLTV will be a smaller 4X4 vehicle which can carry around 4 to 6 personnel and equipped with a machine gun or grenade machine gun. It will be like the Ferret or contemporary vehicles like the JLTV, Nurol Makina NMS 4X4 or the Nimr Ajban 4X4.
FNSS Pars 6X6 displayed at DSA 2022. EL/SC

However, it appears that within the last 10 months or so the HMAV – an armoured 4X4 capable carrying around eight soldiers and two crew – requirement returns. And even though a 6X6 vehicle would be more capable – it could be equipped with a turret – with cannons, missiles, or mortar – it appears that the HMAV has won the day.
PM9 Ismail Sabri putting the name of Tarantula on the HMAV. MAF picture

And what HMAV then? The Tarantula of course.
The Tarantula served as the VIP vehicle for 2022 Army Firepower Demonstration.

So, what about 5 KAD then? As I had mentioned previously, once the HMLTV are sent to Lebanon, the IAG Guardian MRAP – around a dozen or so – will be shipped back to Malaysia. After refurbishment, they will be sent to 5 KAD.
— Malaysian Defence

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Marhalim Abas: Shah Alam

View Comments (56)

  • Good. Seeing all the vehicles being torn to pieces before sold for scrap kinda wasteful and will only benefit the scrap dealer. At least if they're shipped they'll be used for several more decades

  • So they plans for the deftech factory to go empty for the next 5 years? Or deftech going to get the HVLTV programme?

  • More rojak...

    The only thing that makes the HMAV requirement sudden resurgence is because of high level lobbying and the need to have the TARANTULA be bought by the army.

    IMO cavalry units of KAD does not need HMAVs as they are troop carriers. APC/IFV should be left to mechanized infantry battalions, as we already have those, and should convert more normal infantry battalions to mechanized/motorized if there is the need. Cavalry should be units that fight riding/driving armored vehicles. It can be a mix of 1 squadron of Gempita + 3 squadrom of HMLTV per regiment

    If 19 RAMD are to be transferred to Sabah, ideally another Gempita-equipped mechanized infantry battalion should be created/converted in Sarawak.

    For HMLTV. If something like JLTV, Nurol NMS, or Pars 4x4 is too expensive, i would not mind if we go for customized versions armored vehicles based on the chassis of the KIA KLTV. Of course it will have limitations, but it would be cheaper and can be bought in larger numbers.

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F3hNlkMXkAARPho.jpg

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F3hNpZMXsAAnsG7.jpg

  • We should do nig and small like the french armoured formation. Get T90s to go with the 4x4 Tarantulas.

  • HMLTV is Fully imported in CBU forms?

    Sound a whole lot like a JLTV. Some commenters would be wetting their pants just right about now.

    • Although JLTV had performed well in trials, the current situation meant that it is unlikely to be pick.

  • The Nurol Makina Panthera 4X4 is going to UNFIL so meaning the HMLTV has been decided it will be this vehicle ya?

    And while UNFIL it is just 20 units and the location of operation is at Lebanon so it makes more sense to CBU at Turkey and ship it from there, the HMLTV order is 200 units for use in Msian soil so I bet the politicians & lobbyist (NADI Corp) will push hard to locally build here.

    As for Deftech, well its at Pekan, and like all things tied to its exMP (& PM), and guess where he is sitting at? Being a sub of DRB Hicom it wont go down so easily but its downward fortune will impact the group as whole.

    • The Panthere is a full sized vehicle similar to the Tarantula so it will not be chosen.

  • Its meant that two local company Deftech (Unknown HMLTV) and Mildef (Tarantula HMAV) will be busy for the next few years.

    • The HMLTV is likely to be sourced from overseas as the selected vehicle will be something well known so UN will not be hard pressed to pay for them.

  • Budget 2024 calls for 50 HMLTV and similar quantity of IFV.
    And now no IFV but HMAV/MRAP is back on the limelight
    Correct me if I'm wrong
    Kja to avoid all the pening on the logistics, would be better to remain just the gempita.